Editorial: Don't raise fire taxes, consolidate

Voters in three parts of Collier County have fire tax cap increases on their ballots, for which early voting begins Monday.

Chiefs of each of the three districts — in East Naples, Golden Gate and Immokalee — tell our editorial board they have worked hard to trim payroll and other expenses.

Now, they say, they are forced to come to voters for higher tax ceilings to assure safe levels of service.

Golden Gate wants permission to go from 1.5 mills to 2.75 mills; East Naples wants permission to go from 1.5 to 2 mills; Immokalee wants permission to go from 3 to 3.75 mills.

We believe the all three districts have tried to balance budgets without this move. The Golden Gate department has done an especially good job with efficiencies and had the wisdom to front-load its tax request with a sunset provision, ending the tax cap increase after five years unless extended by voters.

Still, we recommend failure of all three tax initiatives.

We believe voters should say "no" at this point in time to business as usual and send the shot heard 'round the county to start working in earnest on consolidation, which we believe is the long-term answer for all-around efficiency — and fewer vehicles and personnel responding to fender benders.

We believe that to be the case whether the economy happens to be good or bad, and right now it is bad.

We believe if voters agree to the higher tax caps it would merely enable the status quo to continue. That status quo is a patchwork of individual districts with leaders too often acting as if they are driven by self-preservation and expansion rather than working together and stretching limited resources.

The union representing firefighters/paramedics in Golden Gate and East Naples goes so far as to recommend this same position, saying it is better for members and their community in the long run. The union says it is time reap the savings from a streamlined administration rather than a slashed rank and file.

Who are we to say the front line of first responders is wrong?

The Jan. 31 referendums, for which early voting starts on Monday, present an opportunity for voters to call for a new day — with the same or better service for the same taxes.

Leadership's poor planning for lean times should not mean an emergency and added expense for taxpayers.